Getting REALLY sick after eating meat.

SomeoneSomeplace · June 2012

I eat mostly vegetarian. If I do eat meat it's always chicken, normally skinless, chicken breast. Otherwise I eat a lot of chickpeas, black beans, TONS of vegetables and pasta. I get my fat from things like olive oil and nuts.
My family however at all on the Atkins diet. So we go to A LOT of steak houses that do not cater to a vegetarian or low fat diet at all...and every night for dinner (and I mean *EVERY* night) it's hamburgers, hot dogs, steak or chicken. When I stay with my parents in the summer I try to eat what they eat because it saves me money. I'm 23, still in school and working part time so saving money is really important. They always give me such an attitude about not eating red meat, saying I have a problem with food and such. All telling me it's really unhealthy of me not to eat red meat because it has important things such as iron...but honestly it makes me SO. SICK.
I feel like I do need some of the protein and such from meat, but it just makes me SO SICK. This was never the case before but ever since I pretty much stopped eating it, every time I do it makes me SO sick. That is true of pretty much ANY time I eat high fat foods, which pretty much ALWAYS seem to be red meat. I had a steak tonight and BOY did I pay for it. Gas, bloating, so much pain. It's AWFUL
Does anyone else experience this? Is there a reason for it? Does my body no longer know how to process red meat? And does anyone else have family members or friends who give them trouble for their diets or foods they choose not to eat? They act like choosing to eat low fat/ vegetarian is an eating disorder. where it isn't. It's simply a choice for health since red meat honestly makes me sick!
How can I deal with the trouble people give me? And if I DO decide to eat red meat what can I take (if anything) to stop this from happening? Those of you who are vegetarian if you go somewhere that has pretty much NO vegetarian option what do you eat?
Also anything I can do for relief right now? All we have in the house is Zantac and that hasn't helped AT ALL. No other medications on hand and I honestly don't think I can sit in the car long enough to drive to the store...

heidikat72 · June 2012

after a while of not eating meat - your body doesn't make as many of the enzymes needed to break it down. you can get plenty of iron and protein from non meat sources. if you want to eat meat - do it but add it slowly back into your diet and give your body time to adjust. if you don't want to eat meat, just point blank tell your family that this is your decision and you aren't asking for their approval but do expect them to respect your decision. you aren't trying to force them to give up meat and they shouldn't force you to eat it. explain that your body just doesn't process it well and that it actually makes you feel ill

sl1ngsh0t · June 2012

same thing happens to my sisters and to me. I eat meat sometimes, lean cuts. my advice is to listen to your body and if it says no, don't force it. find another way with different foods.

this kind of stuff happens to kids who have gluten intolerance, too. parents are pushy, not realizing their kid is genuinely sick from that crap. #parentingfail

AnninStPaul · June 2012

I'm a total carnivore, but I've also found that red meat is too rich for me to eat it like I used to.

Filet mignon is one of the leaner cuts, and is usually a smaller serving (restaurants often have a "petite filet" ; it's still 7-9oz). I believe sirloin is the next leanest. Avoid rib eye - it has a ton of fat (marbling) throughout the meat.

I have also been known to order from the lunch menu, the kids menu, order a to go box with my meal, order apps or just soup and salad, etc.

As for the family giving you a hard time...don't let them bait you.

WhitneyT586 · June 2012

I can't really comment on the getting sick part of this because I have never had that problem. Certain meats have made me sick when they are too richly prepared though. I do eat meat including red meat (sparingly usually). But if your body is used to eating a mostly plant based diet, it will certainly have to adjust to processing protein again. Either eat it very sparingly or continue your vegetarian lifestyle. You get protein from beans and peas anyway. Don't mess with a good thing. I have considered going vegetarian but I enjoy the flavor of meat, especially steak.

They need to understand that you are eating healthfully and that it is your body. You are responsible for what you put into it. If you decide not to eat the meat prepared, maybe eventually they will stop cooking more than necessary. It isn't easy to do when someone else is doing the shopping and cooking, but you don't have to eat it. Be sure they know that you aren't being ungrateful, you just honestly don't enjoy that type of food, but you'll eat any other veg/pasta, etc. Maybe even offer to help shop/cook sometimes.

As for now, try a bit of flat soda or milk. It might help calm your tummy. Hope you feel better soon.

Sugoiharris · June 2012

after a while of not eating meat - your body doesn't make as many of the enzymes needed to break it down. you can get plenty of iron and protein from non meat sources. if you want to eat meat - do it but add it slowly back into your diet and give your body time to adjust. if you don't want to eat meat, just point blank tell your family that this is your decision and you aren't asking for their approval but do expect them to respect your decision. you aren't trying to force them to give up meat and they shouldn't force you to eat it. explain that your body just doesn't process it well and that it actually makes you feel ill

what she said ^

I find that I have this problem too, I've mostly taken meat out of my diet but I do try to inclue it once in a while in small protions because I know I'll have to eat it at my parents or when someone else gives me dinner. I find if I do this I don't have such a big problem with it when I do eat.

jme530 · June 2012

I was also like you at one time, ate mostly chicken even when I went out to dinner. Everytime I tried to eat red meat it seemed to bother me worse than anything else I ever ate. I don't have a very good metabolism so I just chalked it up to my own body being what it was. Until last year, I had several days were I ate red meat several days in a row, steak, hamburger, hot dogs, and the pain I experienced was like nothing I had ever felt, not even giving birth. The pain I expierenced was so severe I went to the emergency room and trust me I can handle pain. Well anyway, after 2 trips to the emergency room in a 4 day period and several dr visits and ultrasounds, it was official, my body can no longer digest red meat. My body literally rejects red meat, I experience severe abdominal pain, gas, bloating and the end result is horrible. So, unfortantly I now completly avoid red meat because the few minutes of delicious goodness is sooooo not worth the pain I expierence. It is kind of a hassle at times, my family knows if I'm coming over to have something other than just beef and if they don't I bring my own food. And for me personally there is no medication that helps, I was on prilosec for several months but once I cut beef out completely I didn't need the medication any longer. And you will more than likely have some people who will give you a hard time about it but just to your guns and once they see that this is a lifestyle change for you, they will come around.

OfficerFuzzy · June 2012

I've heard that if a vegetarian wants to go back to eating meat they should go back by slowly transitioning into eating meat.
For example:
Broth, then meat with other foods, then a little bit of meat on it's own and then regular meat.
With red meat I guess just try it in little chunks?
....
But, really, if you don't want to eat it don't make yourself eat it. Tell your family that you're practicing Hinduism.
My family is big on eating meat, so once and a while I get the, "you should just eat blah, blah, blah."
Just have to be patient and remind them that it's your choice.

1smemae94 · June 2012

Look I'm going to be blunt. If it is making you sick, do not eat it.

When you go out to eat, ask the waiter to tell the chef you need something vegetarian. Any chef should be able to come up with something. Even if it's just french fries and a salad.

You're a grown up, you don't need to eat something because someone is making fun of you for not eating it. Honestly, why did you become "vegetarian" in the first place? Stick to your values.

As for it costing you money, rice and beans are not expensive. Steak costs more than rice and beans.

If they keep going to steak houses can't you just stay home and cook your own food?

I wish you the best of luck and I hope that everything works out for you.

susannamarie · June 2012

Barf on them. Maybe they'll believe you then.

But seriously, most of the steakhouses around here have some sort of chicken breast entree. If you can eat that, insist on it. If not, order a salad/baked potato/whatever and make yourself rice and beans at home.

Also, with respect to iron -- beans are a pretty good source last time I looked.

VMarkV · June 2012

How about the obvious explanation: you are not eating enough fat with your lean meat. You need fat intake to stimulate bile production to digest your food.

Taking antacids isn't going to help...you need your stomach to be most acidic to digest meat. Try adding some fat to your meat or include non-lean meat - seriously I don't get how people can eat the same dry, lean meats day in and out (chicken breast, turkey, tuna, etc.). There are plenty of better cuts with only slightly more fat (pork tenderloin, salmon, chicken thighs, London broil, flank steak, etc.).

pdworkman · June 2012

If I eat meat I throw up for three days. Good reason to go vegetarian, good reason to stay vegetarian!

kiminikimkim · June 2012

Have you directed all this attention to your parents? If it is this serious, I don't understand why they would force you to be sick all the time. Seems cruel.

CallMeCupcakeDammit · June 2012

I eat fish and fowl. I ate one bite of roast just because it looked good, and it made my stomach hurt. Just one! Why don't you just print out your post and show it to your parents? That's ridiculous first of all that they can't respect your decision not to eat red meat, and someone else said it, you're an adult! Tell them no!

pyronymph1 · September 2013

I get really sick when I eat meat as well - it is why I went vegetarian in the first place, because I was tired of feeling like crap all the time. You DO NOT need meat to get all of your proteins (actually, meat is harder for your body to extract protein from than most other things, because your body is not set up to digest meats properly - which is why you need to cook it first to begin with... but I digress), many of today's top athletes are VEGAN!

So, to sum up, listen to your body. Ultimately, it knows what it needs

londonlyric7 · May 2014

First of all, being a vegetarian is way more healthy than eating red meat. Red meat is very bad for you. People don't realize that if a cow has cancer, and you eat it, you can get that cancer too. And people wonder why cancer is on the rise. Meat even has dangerous antibiotics in it and tons of nasty hormones and crap. Stay veggie. As for your relatives on your back, you need to understand that you are grown and can do what you want, and it's none of their damn business. Don't be weak. If they can't respect you then don't go over there. Just because they are your family does not mean you have to visit. All you need is YOU. You came to this world alone and you leave it alone. This is just borrowed time.

Platform_Heels · May 2014

First of all, being a vegetarian is way more healthy than eating red meat. Red meat is very bad for you. People don't realize that if a cow has cancer, and you eat it, you can get that cancer too. And people wonder why cancer is on the rise. Meat even has dangerous antibiotics in it and tons of nasty hormones and crap. Stay veggie. As for your relatives on your back, you need to understand that you are grown and can do what you want, and it's none of their damn business. Don't be weak. If they can't respect you then don't go over there. Just because they are your family does not mean you have to visit. All you need is YOU. You came to this world alone and you leave it alone. This is just borrowed time.

:noway: :huh: :indifferent:

mlyn0812 · May 2014

Just because you eat meat doesn't mean you have to eat red meat. You can stick to poultry and fish and be perfectly fine. I can't remember the last time I had red meat. How much are you eating though? A serving size is 3 oz about the size of a deck of cards.

WakkoW · May 2014

First of all, being a vegetarian is way more healthy than eating red meat. Red meat is very bad for you. People don't realize that if a cow has cancer, and you eat it, you can get that cancer too. And people wonder why cancer is on the rise. Meat even has dangerous antibiotics in it and tons of nasty hormones and crap. Stay veggie. As for your relatives on your back, you need to understand that you are grown and can do what you want, and it's none of their damn business. Don't be weak. If they can't respect you then don't go over there. Just because they are your family does not mean you have to visit. All you need is YOU. You came to this world alone and you leave it alone. This is just borrowed time.

Okay, this is funny.

But I'd say you should get a better hobby than reviving old threads.

zillah73 · May 2014

It is definitely tough when people have a lot of misinformation about nutrition (i.e. your parents in this instance) to get them to respect your needs/desires. Maybe you can talk to your parents and figure out a way that if they are preparing a meat main course (burgers, hotdogs) that all the side dishes could be veg-friendly. Going out to eat, most nice restaurants will prepare a vegetarian off-menu dish. Worst case scenario, friend fries and side salad (as someone else mentioned). I spent a nice dinner with my parents eating tomato soup and bread once. It isn't ideal, but it didn't make me sick, either.

zillah73 · May 2014

First of all, being a vegetarian is way more healthy than eating red meat. Red meat is very bad for you. People don't realize that if a cow has cancer, and you eat it, you can get that cancer too. And people wonder why cancer is on the rise. Meat even has dangerous antibiotics in it and tons of nasty hormones and crap. Stay veggie. As for your relatives on your back, you need to understand that you are grown and can do what you want, and it's none of their damn business. Don't be weak. If they can't respect you then don't go over there. Just because they are your family does not mean you have to visit. All you need is YOU. You came to this world alone and you leave it alone. This is just borrowed time.

Ummm... as a long-time vegetarian, please let me take the opportunity to say, "huh?!?" There are a lot of good reasons to become vegetarian (health, animal welfare, the environment) but getting cancer from eating a cow with cancer? That's a new one for me.

Also, wow! It's hotdog night, time to divorce my parents and go die alone in a hole.

Getting REALLY sick after eating meat.

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